Back To The Future Hoverboard Prop Replica by Mattel

Mattel announced in March of 2012 that they will be accepting pre orders for a Back To The Future hoverboard prop replica. Since the Mattel name was on the hoverboard actually used in the movie, I thought this was really cool. They stated it will be based on 30 actual prop hoverboards used in Back To The Future 2. Special effects supervisor, Michael Lantieri, prop maker/special effects expert, Mary Anne Lantieri, and the co-producer and co-writer of the trilogy, Bob Gale would all supervise production of the hoverboard. Since I love Back To The Future and prop replicas, I anxiously put my order in.

Packaging : The hoverboard comes in a full color box with a white outer box to protect it. The graphic design and artwork on box are very well done. The one thing I did not like is the box flaps. They are glued shut and have to be torn carefully to not ruin the box.

Design : At a quick glance, the board looks great. The board is made of thick pink plastic and is very durable. The original props were made of foam, but plastic was the right choice for the Mattel hoverboard. The individual pink velcro strips going across the board are well placed. The faux magnetic discs on the bottom seemed accurate. The foot disc with the velcro strap looked good.

Unfortunately, there is one thing I could not ignore. The hero prop in the film had a three dimensional honeycomb pattern lenticular stickers covering parts of the board. Mattel instead made the sticker two dimensional trying to make it look three dimensional. The stunt version had a two dimensional design. The Mattycollector.com version is an amalgam of the hero and stunt version stickers that they created instead of being film accurate. The sticker pieces were also not individually cut on the board like the velcro strips were. The bottom portion of the board top is made from two large stickers they try to line up and make it appear as one. The peg hole is pink instead of black. The brackets attached to the faux magnetic discs on the bottom of the board seemed to be a different color then the actual prop.Features : The hoverboard has a "whooshing" sounds sampled from the film. The feature is motion activated and does not require pressing a button. My hoverboard sounds seems to have a mind of it's own. It sometimes goes off when you don't want it to and doesn't work when you do.3 AA batteries needed to make the sounds were not included.Accessories : A clear stand is included if you wanted to display your hoverboard. It is a little hard to figure out at first. There are two small beads that attach to the center bracket on the bottom of the board. The instructions do not explain that. A miniature hoverboard with handlebars was included to anyone who pre ordered.

Price : The March 2012 pre order price was $120 plus shipping and tax. The current price is $130 plus shipping and tax. You do not receive the mini hoverboard if you order now.

The Verdict : I don't feel Mattel delivered what they promised. "Our Hoverboard is based on the best features of the more than 30 slight variations of Hoverboard props used in the classic film series" is what they stated when describing this item. I'd consider the honeycomb stickers and the other stickers individually cut and applied to be among the best features.Those features are not present on the Mattel board. The full color box is a nice touch, but only draws attention to how inaccurate the design is. If it was based on a hoverboard they would sell in 2015 in BTTF II, it would include the handlebars. It would also state it does not work on water. The sound effects are unnecessary and the original props wouldn't have sound clips attached to them. This is supposed to be a prop replica, not a toy. I would much rather Mattel spent the money on the lenticular and die cut stickers on this board instead of a useless full color box and sound effects.

With all the issues I had with the hoverboard, it still has redeeming qualities. Before Mattel made this officially licensed version, fan made ones were all over ebay. They were made of foam and sold for an average of $300. This is still a cool replica even though it did not live up to my expectations.Where To Buy : Go to Mattycollector.com for more information.